Get theNewsletter

Michigan U.S. Attorneys Lay Out Cannabis Enforcement Policies

U.S. Attorneys in Michigan have laid out their policies for enforcing federal cannabis laws in the newly legalized state, the Detroit Free Press reports.

Matthew Schneider and Andrew Birge — who serve as U.S. Attorneys for Eastern and Western Michigan — announced in a statement on Thursday that “we will not unilaterally immunize anyone from prosecution for violating federal laws simply because of the passage of Proposal One.”

Their enforcement efforts, however, will be weighed against both offices’ priorities, and neither office expects to focus on low-level cannabis crimes like simple possession.

“Our offices have never focused on the prosecution of marijuana users or low-level offenders, unless aggravating factors are present. That will not change.” — U.S. Attorneys Matthew Schneider and Andrew Birge, in a statement

According to Schneider and Birge, their offices will be more inclined to prosecute for cannabis-related crimes when there are other issues at play, such as:

Interstate trafficking

Involvement of other illegal drugs/activities

Organized crime

Bypassing local laws/regulations

Environmental contamination

Risks to minors

“We will continue to approach the investigation and prosecution of marijuana crimes as we do with any other crime,” Schneider and Birge wrote.

“We will consider the federal law enforcement priorities set by the United States Department of Justice, the seriousness of the crime, the deterrent effect of prosecution, and the cumulative impact of the crime on a community.”

Graham Abbott

Based in Portland, Oregon, Graham oversees our daily news coverage and coordinates our editorial content. He also writes articles of his own and conducts our written interviews with leading cannabis experts.

We're proud to support:

DISCLAIMER: Ganjapreneur.com is intended as an educational resource for law-abiding professionals and those who are curious about entrepreneurial and/or investment opportunities in emerging markets. We do not offer investment advice, and we encourage all visitors and readers to do their own due dilligence before investing in any of the companies or markets that we write about. Be advised that possessing, using, distributing and selling cannabis are all federal crimes in the United States of America and the articles, pages, links, and other types of information on this site are not intended to assist you in violating federal law. Ganjapreneur.com and all associated entities and individuals are not responsible for third party content and/or links published on this website.